Roeland street is an ideal destination in Cape Town.

Roeland Street in Cape Town, South Africa, is one of the many destinations that stand out both historically and creatively. Situated on the east end of the city, the bustling “long street” with exhilarating palm trees stretches from the old CPUT media campus to the prestigious South African Parliament, which was on fire early this year. 

 

A map of Roeland Street, to help navigate the neighbourhood. (credits: Google maps)

The street has it all, to say the least, an archive, a church, and Parliament. it’s rich in history! However, this isn’t a history lesson but an exploration of places that make Roeland exciting and buzzing with enthusiasm.

Walking down from the Western Cape Archives towards the traffic lights separating Roeland Street and Upper Canterbury Street, I realised that I was entering a section of Roeland that boasts both the business sector and a bubble of creativity.

ORMS Print room and Framing located at 66 Roeland was the first place that piqued my curiosity. ORMS deals in professional framing, scanning, and photography. It’s a stunning place, inside and out, with the paintings on the walls “literally” screaming, "COME INSIDE NOW!"

I quickly “jumped” to Kimberly hotel. Now I know it might look like I’m contradicting myself, but come on! The hotel is still a hub for entertainment and attracts locals and tourists who wish to drink or sleep in a building that’s over 120 years old.

The kimberly hotel, in a street buzzing with traffic. (Taken by: Avuyile Sawula)

Nadia, who has worked there since 2003 briefly spoke to me, after manipulating me into ordering their breakfast. The friendly, heavy-smoking chef described the hotel as her “second home," a statement I couldn’t dispute considering she had spent 19 years of her life there anyways.

I patiently waited for my breakfast while observing my surroundings, admiring the vintage t-shirts and portraits mounted around the bar. How bizarre, that a portrait of Barney Barnato was glowering at me as if I was the one who had instructed him to commit suicide. Anyway, the food arrived, and it tasted amazing. The beacon was crispy, the mushrooms were well cooked, and the beans were, unfortunately, the only item left on the plate, and sent back to the kitchen.

Kimberly hotel breakfast special(by: Avuyile Sawula)

 

I further asked Nadia how the hotel had changed since 2003. “It’s changed a lot, hey. A lot of people have come and gone. I mean, when I started working here, the old ladies working up the road used to sleep in and come on a Sunday morning to share one cot (beer).”

“Now young people come here often, it’s almost like the place to be in Roeland,” she said while smoking her Stuyvesant blue cigarette.

 

Coffee tasting was next on the agenda, and Vida e caffé, which means Life and Coffee is where I was headed. The Caffé is across the Anthony Shapiro studios and has an aesthetic setting, multiple coffees to choose from, and an amazing scent of blended coffees one automatically smells when entering. 

Vida e Caffe, the perfect getaway for good coffee. (credits: Avuyile Sawula)

Paul, the manager, shyly gave insight into the Caffé. “We are open daily, from 06:00am to 16:00pm. It’s always busy. Look, he said” pointing at the long queue waiting to place orders.

Having been there twice, I can confidently say my favourite coffee is the Americano. It’s not too strong nor too weak but tastes amazing with honey and one sachet of brown sugar. 

Upon research, I found that Vida had multiple branches in the city, and many of them were doing relatively well. "Well, when you treat customers well and give good service, they come again," added Paul. He then revealed the culture of Roeland Street, stating how everyone there was family, and how much they supported each other. I nodded, taking another sip of my lovely Americano.

The Americano coffee at Vida e Caffe. (Taken by: Avuyile Sawula)

My Roeland experience then led me to the creative and artistic side of the street. I was excited and rejuvenated when I found out that Court Order, a sneaker store, had my favourite sneaker, the New Balance 550, in stock.

Before that, though, I had one more destination to complete, and that was to visit Artist Admin. A company, that supports creatives and offers multiple services like exhibitions, productions, and shipping logistics, essentially making life easier for creatives.

 

Artist Admin logo and entrance (By: Avuyile Sawula) 

I recall entering the place, it smelled so clean and the heart-warming smile of Zoe, the receptionist, was even more welcoming.

She voluntarily showed me around, explaining how unique each painting on the wall was and, how the cream of the crop regularly visited Roeland because of them. "We work with established artists. A lot of talent is on display here, hence we get multiple people visiting," she said, smiling. 

To conclude my experience, I visited Court order, as promised. The minute I walked in, I was astonished. If you didn’t know, the thrift and sneaker culture in Cape Town is out of this world, and Court order distributes exactly that, items that are OUT OF THIS WORLD. I was amazed at the quality of products they sell and wish I had left with a pair of those 550’s, but I guess I’ll have to wait a bit longer.

A few of the items sold at Court order. (credits: Avuyile Sawula)

In saying so, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Roeland on foot. Roeland can be viewed in many ways, but the positive, exciting side of it thrilled me.

To view some snippets I shot while I was navigating Roeland, click on the link below. Enjoy... :) 

Let's explore Roeland Street.